Directing Foreplay
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Directing Foreplay
Okay, why a trivial play about sex? What’s the relevance to me, to us as South Africans? Let’s begin with the universal aspect called “fun”. I mean as Paul Grootboom, suggests, what can be more fun than watching ten people having sex with each other, talking about nothing relevant and giving each other STDs? That idea is almost Chekhovian itself, as classic as anything, plus all of us can relate to the play: for instance, the way these characters talk- these personas don’t talk about world issues and complex philosophies, they don’t talk in “ life changing wit”-they just talk like you and I, because that’s what they are: “you and I”. It’s about the games we play with our sexual partners, so what’s the point? Why a play about it? Well, for me, let’s look to Shakespeare for answers, “Hold the mirror up to nature:, right?, “show virtue her own feature”, “ scorn her image”, etc.. This is just like Hamlet, great people and slight people all getting basic. The difference is in Hamlet, the characters philosophies were about getting their basic instincts-but you and I we don’t and that’s what Paul Grootboom knew, that there are also great lessons to be learnt from just holding the mirror up to nature and not philosophising about it. The problem is we tend to take theatre too seriously and then moan about its death! So my theory is( which is nothing new, judging from this play written by Paul Grootboom), if theatre is indeed dying, at least lets have fun with it as we descend down to the grave. But that does not mean that if it’s fun it cannot have messages and themes and motifs and symbolism right? That’s the idea anyway and that’s exactly what Foreplay is all about. It combines all the necessary theatrical elements and entertains (or should I instead refer to it as shocking its audience) as it reveals the raw truth of the humans attempt at satisfying his or her sexual desires.
So the ultimate
Directing Foreplay
Okay, why a trivial play about sex? What’s the relevance to me, to us as South Africans? Let’s begin with the universal aspect called “fun”. I mean as Paul Grootboom, suggests, what can be more fun than watching ten people having sex with each other, talking about nothing relevant and giving each other STDs? That idea is almost Chekhovian itself, as classic as anything, plus all of us can relate to the play: for instance, the way these characters talk- these personas don’t talk about world issues and complex philosophies, they don’t talk in “ life changing wit”-they just talk like you and I, because that’s what they are: “you and I”. It’s about the games we play with our sexual partners, so what’s the point? Why a play about it? Well, for me, let’s look to Shakespeare for answers, “Hold the mirror up to nature:, right?, “show virtue her own feature”, “ scorn her image”, etc.. This is just like Hamlet, great people and slight people all getting basic. The difference is in Hamlet, the characters philosophies were about getting their basic instincts-but you and I we don’t and that’s what Paul Grootboom knew, that there are also great lessons to be learnt from just holding the mirror up to nature and not philosophising about it. The problem is we tend to take theatre too seriously and then moan about its death! So my theory is( which is nothing new, judging from this play written by Paul Grootboom), if theatre is indeed dying, at least lets have fun with it as we descend down to the grave. But that does not mean that if it’s fun it cannot have messages and themes and motifs and symbolism right? That’s the idea anyway and that’s exactly what Foreplay is all about. It combines all the necessary theatrical elements and entertains (or should I instead refer to it as shocking its audience) as it reveals the raw truth of the humans attempt at satisfying his or her sexual desires.
So the ultimate